We are delighted to announce that the first UK patent application filed under the Beck Greener student pro bono scheme has proceeded to grant as GB2578686B.

Traditionally, purchasers of patented products in the UK have thought that they have a "right to repair" the goods they buy, even where the repairs are extensive.

The European Community trade marks office (the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market, or OHIM) has announced changes in its fee structure, to be implemented in early May.

Patent attorneys have long advised their clients to focus on the issues at the heart of a dispute and not to throw in a "kitchen sink" of other complaints just because it is easy to do so.

The United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has been obliged to change the guidance to Examiners over the exclusion from patenting of "mental acts".

A recent paper in the British Journal of Pharmacy from the University of Huddersfield Press discusses the implications of Brexit on patents and supplementary protection certificates (SPCs).

Deadlines in UK trade mark matters have been changed without warning. Opposition deadlines for UK national trade mark applications, and for UK designations of trade mark applications under the Madrid Protocol, and deadlines to extend the opposition period have been reduced by one day.

Changes to European Patent Office (EPO) fees come into effect on 1st April 2009. These changes penalise long specifications and applications with large numbers of claims. In the short term, the penalties can be avoided by filing cases before the changes come into effect.

Monsanto sought to prove their European patent No 0546090 protected soy meal, a commercial product which was being imported into Europe by the ship’s load.

With Germany expected to deposit its instrument of ratification of the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) in the coming months, it is predicted that the Unitary Patent Package (UPP)

In a number of key areas, trade mark law has not been applied in the same manner across the European Union.

Not content with battling Samsung in many jusrisdictions over tablet computers, Apple is also in dispute with HTC over technology relating to tablet computers and smart phones.

Apple Inc. have been granted a preliminary injunction by the German courts preventing Samsung selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet anywhere in the European Union (except in The Netherlands, where separate proceedings are currently under way).

A requirement of the EPO Guidelines for Examination (H-V, 2.7 and F-IV, 4.3(iii)) is that the description of a patent must be in conformity with the claims.

Community trade mark practice is to change at OHIM, which will impact on both applicants and opponents of Community trade marks.

As well as reducing their fees from 1st October 2009, the UK Intellectual Property Office will also introduce their "Right Start" service.

Recently the English Court of Appeal confirmed that it is not possible to patent a discovered gene sequence.

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO) has recently completed two reviews on patent filing data from 2000 to 2020.

To sell a medicine in the European Union (EU), a marketing authorisation (MA) is required.

The European Patent Office (EPO) are introducing further restrictions on the filing of voluntary amendments from 1st April 2010.